In certain arrangements it is desired to electrically interconnect circuits of two circuit boards which are arrayed parallel to each other within an assembly, and in a manner which permits the boards to be separated if desired. Connectors are known in which an array of contacts have post contact sections extending from a mounting face of the housing for insertion through and beyond through-holes of a first circuit board and soldering to conductive trace portions of the board adjacent the through-holes, and have receptacle or socket contact sections exposed along an opposed mating face of the housing to receive associated post contact sections of a like connector mounted to a second circuit board; a shroud may be mounted to the second board to surround and protect the array of post contact sections extending therefrom, while being adapted to matably receive the connector housing thereinto. Such connectors are termed "stacking connectors" and one particular example of such a stacking connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,746. One type of stackable connector is sold by AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. under Part No. 533650.
It is desirable to provide an adapter to interconnect opposing connectors of existing design having receptacle contact sections and having like mating interfaces, without requiring modification of the connectors.
It is also desirable to provide such an adapter to also space apart the mating interfaces of such connectors a distance equal to their spacing when mounted to opposing circuit boards in an assembly wherein the board-to-board spacing is a limited predetermined distance.